March 3, 2008 19:05

Russell Simmons announces endorsement of Barack Obama

Def Jam founder confirms his Presidential choice

Russell Simmons has announced he is backing Senator Barack Obama in the race for the White House top job.

Simmons confirmed his support for Obama in a press release saying that having observed the competition between Hillary Clinton and Obama over the past nine months that he has ”been particularly inspired by the fact that Senator Obama has built an unprecedented, national movement comprised of people from all ethnic, racial, political, social and economic backgrounds.”

He also says that “Obama's leadership, passion and demand for a change resonates effectively with the aspirations of millions of people who want a better quality of life.”

Despite having worked with Senator Clinton on social issues in the past, Simmons says “I am now compelled by my own personal conscience to publicly state, "I support and endorse Barack Obama for President."

Simmons is the Chairman of the non-partisan, nonprofit The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. He founded Def Jam Records with Rick Rubin in 1984, and is also the head of clothing giant Phat Farm. He is also Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.

--By our New York staff.
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